The FAFSA® Form is Working—and Getting Better Every Day

The FAFSA® Form is Working—and Getting Better Every Day

By: James Bergeron, Deputy Under Secretary and Acting Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer

Each year, more than 17 million students complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, unlocking access to more than $120 billion in federal student aid and billions more in school, state, and private funding. The FAFSA form is a critical tool that helps students and families across the country pursue higher education and build better futures. 

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) understands the importance of the FAFSA form, and we are committed to delivering an experience that is simple and reliable.  

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What the Department of Education Doesn’t Do

What The Department Of Education Doesn't Do

By: Jim Blew, Co-founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute

Over its 45-year history, the U.S. Department of Education has persistently increased its power over American K-12 education. Then, on March 20, 2025, President Trump ordered the end of Education Department dominance, issuing an executive order entitled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities.” As Secretary McMahon has said, it is time for the Department to begin its final mission and shift power back to states, local communities, and families.

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Education: Whose Job Is It?

A purple graphic with the ED cap logo and bolded white text that reads, "Education: Whose Job Is It?"

By: Scott Yenor

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan proposed dismantling the Department of Education, an agency barely two years old. This was not as radical a move for his administration as it may sound to modern ears. Americans were not accustomed to such a massive role for the federal government in education, which had always been a local and state function. Voters never approved of President Carter establishing the agency, and elected Reagan in a historic landslide to shrink the size of government— and eliminate ED.

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